Best My Favorite Lasagna Recipes

BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook sausage, beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Drain., Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 3 tablespoons parsley, basil, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally., In a small bowl, mix egg, ricotta cheese and remaining parsley and salt., Preheat oven to 375°. Spread 2 cups meat sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with 3 noodles and a third of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce and cheeses (dish will be full)., Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

THE BEST LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place the beef in a large bowl and "pull" it apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and loosening the meat without compacting it.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a large bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Spread the beef in an even layer in the same pot and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps and scraping up any browned bits from the pot, until the meat is browned and completely cooked, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the browned meat with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the pancetta, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, half the garlic, the bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's very fragrant and brick red colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the reserved pancetta and beef, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the basil and Parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce resembles sloppy joes, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. There shouldn't be any rapid bubbles while cooking. Instead, the ragu should release occasional small bubbles. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking. Repeat if necessary. The ragu needs the full 2 to 2 1/2 hour cook time to develop the flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf, basil and Parmesan rind. Break up any remaining clumps of meat with the back of a spoon, making an even textured sauce. Season with salt and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles, stirring occasionally and separating them to prevent sticking, until softened and bendable but are still hard and chalky in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl of cold water and set aside until ready to assemble.
• Stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, the remaining grated garlic and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread 1 cup of the ragu evenly in the bottom of the pan. Lay a single layer of noodles over the ragu (if you're using long noodles, you will need to cut some noodles to fill the gaps). Spread 1 1/2 cups of the ragu over the noodles. Dollop 3/4 cup of the ricotta mixture over the ragu and spread lightly with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, followed by another layer of noodles. Repeat with the remaining pasta, ragu, ricotta mixture and mozzarella, creating 4 layers of pasta and ending with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (The lasagna should come just above the top of the pan but it will sink down slightly as it cooks.) Top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake the lasagna until bubbling gently around the edges, about 1 hour.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil and then continue to bake the lasagna until the top is browned and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

MY "FAMOUS" LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large frying pan, brown ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drain meat when done and add back to the pan. Add the spaghetti sauce - just enough sauce to make the meat wet, but you don't want more sauce than meat. Simmer until you are ready to layer the lasagna.
• 2. In a large mixing bowl thoroughly mix sour cream, cottage cheese and cream cheese with 3 tablespoons of parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt.
• 3. Boil about 12 lasagna noodles; drain them when cooked, usually about 10 minutes.
• 4. You are ready to layer your lasagna! (Use a lasagna pan deep enough for about 3 layers.) 1.) Spoon a small amount of meat mixture on bottom of pan so noodles won't stick. 2.) Layer 3 lasagna noodles topped with a layer of the meat mixture. 3.) Now carefully add a layer of the cheese mixture, lightly dropping spoonfuls and smoothing it out. 4.) Next add a layer of shredded cheddar - enough to coat the white sauce - and then sprinkle with some grated parmesan cheese. 5.) Repeat previous layer 2 more times. (You should end up with the top layer of the lasagna being the shredded cheddar cheese.) 6.) The last layer is the shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the cheddar, just enough to cover.
• 5. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. At that point turn broil on low until top is golden brown, about 8 minutes.
• 6. Let the lasagna sit out for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and ENJOY!!! NOTE: You can freeze this lasagna for up to 3 months in an airtight container that has been placed inside a freezer bag.

MY FAVORITE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Combine spaghetti sauce and browned ground beef.
• In separate bowl combine cottage cheese, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and beaten egg.
• Spread about 1 cup sauce in bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
• Over this layer 1/3 of the cooked noodles, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture, and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with 1 cup sauce and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
• Repeat.
• Top with remaining noodles, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly.
• Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

MY FAVORITE LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Boil lasagna noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• 2. While pasta is cooking, start the sauce. In a large skillet, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook or medium-high heat until brown.
• 3. Drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, 2 Tbsp parsley, basil, and salt. Simmer for 45 minutes.
• 4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, Parmesan, 2 Tbsp parsley, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
• 5. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and arrange 4 noodles on the bottom of the dish.
• 6. Spoon half cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles.
• 7. Cover cottage cheese with half the mozzarella.
• 8. Spoon half the meat over the cheese.
• 9. Repeat layers, starting with the pasta.
• 10. End with the meat mixture. Sprinkle the top with extra Parmesan and shredded mozzarella if you have it.
• 11. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.